With Me
by Miss Madd
Summary: Naruto brings Sasuke back… but at what price to himself? Again, slight yaoi if you squint reeeaaally hard. Chapter two now up. nn Debating on if i'm gunna go for a third chapter or not... may just stay a twoshot.
1. Chapter 1

With You

By: Amanda Arcand

Summary: Naruto brings Sasuke back… but at what price?

Lyrics from Linkin Park.

_I woke up in a dream today  
To the cold of the static, and put my cold feet on the floor  
Forgot all about yesterday  
Remembering I'm pretending to be where I'm not anymore  
A little taste of hypocrisy  
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake, slow to react  
So even though you're so close to me  
You're still so distant  
And I can't bring you back_

Sasuke glared at the blonde haired idiot that was currently talking his head off. Why didn't' the damned blond boy understand that he hated him? They weren't friends anymore, damn it! He had been here for a week now, recovering form the injuries the blonde had given him--although, in his defense, the only reason the blonde was able to beat him was because he had sapped into the Kyuubi's energy--and he had been here every single day.

Every single Kami-damning day!

Continuing to glare at the blonde, he wished him a slow, violent death for dragging him away, for breaking his seal, for taking away the only chance he had at killing his brother. How the hell Naruto had managed to break the seal no one knew, and this only infuriated Sasuke further.

_  
It's true the way I feel  
Was promised by your face  
The sound of your voice  
Painted on my memories  
Even if you're not with me_

_I'm with you  
You  
Now I see keeping everything inside  
You  
Now I see  
Even when I close my eyes_

Naruto grinned to himself as he walked out of the hospital, arms braced behind his head, humming as he passed the random nurses and doctors. Looking up at the sun as he left the huge white building, his grin stretched out across his face and he pumped a fist into the sky. He had done it. He had fulfilled his promise to Sakura and himself by bringing Sasuke back. Granted, the teme didn't want to be there right now, but there were dozens of ANBU guarding the hospital--there was no way in Hell he was ever getting out.

Fighting back a sudden cringe, he held the seal on his stomach and waited for the pain to subside.

He had broken Sasuke's seal, and no one knew how he had done it. But he did. He just pretended not to. It didn't matter, after all, what was bound to happen now. It was inevitable. But… Sasuke was back, the Uchiha clan would not die out, and everyone was happy.

_  
I hit you and you hit me back  
We fall to the floor, the rest of the day stands still  
Fine line between this and that  
When things go wrong I pretend the past isn't real  
Now I'm trapped in this memory  
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake, slow to react  
So even though you're close to me  
You're still so distant  
And I can't bring you back_

Glowering at the blonde as he blocked the fist aimed at his gut, Sasuke jumped back with a snarl. Damned blonde was faster than he remembered.

Granted, it was only a small sparing match in the middle of town, but that didn't matter. He HAD to beat the blonde, to prove that he was still better. He was always better. ALWAYS.

He would not-NOT-lose. Not to the blonde. Not ever.

Grinding his teeth together in annoyance, he pulled out his Katana and charged the overly energetic blonde. He would never forgive him for bringing him back. He would ridicule him, break him, and humiliate him in front of the village if he had to.

_No matter how far we've come  
I can't wait to see tomorrow  
No matter how far we've come, I  
I can't wait to see tomorrow_

Kakashi looked around he training grounds, frowning. Where was Naruto? Glancing at Sasuke (and Sakura who was hanging all over him once again), he scratched his head. Did this have to do with that training thing yesterday? Both of the boys--no, young men now, he reminded himself--had been angry at each other after it. Had Naruto simply decided not to come? No, that didn't make sense. He may have been angry that Kakashi had broken up their little fight before they destroyed the town, but he would never avoid Sasuke, especially after finally bringing him back.

Perhaps he was with that Sand nin, Gaara? No. Gaara was presently at Hokage tower. So, where the hell was he?

---

Naruto's glazed eyes looked up at the ceiling as his breath quickened and his body shook. It was happening. He could feel it.

It was all ending. Part of him had hoped it would have lasted longer, that he would have more time than the Kyuubi had told him… but… he should have known better than to hope.

He let his eyes flutter close as the pain of the conflicting seals washed over him, the spiral fire and the black shadow now carved directly above it fighting for dominance. His body shook, twisted, quacked. There was nothing he could do but whimper in pain, he couldn't even scream.

His eyes rolled back and his body went limp on the bed.

---

Gaara stared blankly into the dull red eyes that met him when he had walked into Naruto's apartment later that day. Everything was burned, charred, turned to ash. He went to the lifeless body and picked up a single clawed, black tatoed hand and checked for a pulse on his best friend.

The one who had brought him back from the dead.

The one who had saved him.

The one he had failed.

---

_I'm with you  
You  
Now I see keeping everything inside  
You  
Now I see  
Even when I close my eyes_

_No matter how far we've come  
I can't wait to see tomorrow  
No matter how far we've come, I  
I can't wait to see tomorrow_

Sasuke stared blankly at the empty swing in the school yard and tentatively walked up to it. This had always been his swing… Naruto's swing. With a shudder, he turned away and continued on his path, tenderly holding the bouquet of white lilies in his arms, fighting back the guilt.

"_Ne, Sasuke! Let's train!"_

"_Go away, Dobe."_

"_Don't call me a Dobe, Teme!"_

"_Alright, go away idiot."_

"_Don't be a bastard, Sasuke-teme!"_

"_Shut up, Naruto. You're just an idiot ninja--"_

"_I'm going to be Hokage someday, and I won't lose to you! Believe it!"_

_**They were knocked together suddenly, lips brushing--their eyes bugged open and they stared at each other, horror on their faces.**_

"_I won't give up on you Sasuke, you're coming back to Konoha someday, even if it kills me--believe it!"_

"_Why would I want to come back with a pathetic weakling like you? DIE!"_

Shaking his head to dispel his ghosts, he looked up at the sky with tear filled eyes. He entered the hospital and walked to the all too familiar room. There, sitting by the window, as always, was Naruto.

His shoulders were hunched over and his empty eyes stared out at nothing in particular. Empty, dull, blue eyes. Gently, he set the flowers in the vase and took his place next to the Kazekage of Suna (who always came to visit Naruto at least once a week, whether his schedule allowed it or not).

"Hey, dobe. You missed an interesting training today. Ask Gaara-Bastard, Kakashi got hit in the face with Tamari's fan."

Gaara nodded once, "It was… rather humorous."

The three sat like that for a long while, two of them simply talking about the events of the past day, assuring the blonde that when he got better he too could come out and train again.

There was never an improvement, at least that most people could see. But, the two that were closest to him, could tell he could hear; that he could understand. And, every day they were here, they saw the twitch of the lips that grew little by little as time went on and the faint spark in his eyes when they spoke and sat with him. They stayed with him. Because, they knew, someday their Naruto would be back.

_No matter how far we've come  
I can't wait to see tomorrow  
No matter how far we've come, I  
I can't wait to see tomorrow_

-----

The end. nn


	2. Chapter 2

With Me

Chapter Two: Wake me Up

By: Madd Envy Freak (aka--Amanda)

A/N: I decided to do this after I realized (and some confused readers) that I forgot to explain the seal, thing. And, yea, amazingly I had this really cool explanation that blabbere don about Chakra… and… yeah!

Disclaimer: Not… mine… sigh

_Summer has come and passed  
The innocent can never last  
wake me up when september ends_

like my fathers come to pass  
seven years has gone so fast  
wake me up when september ends

"You are wrong."

The venom in the Kazekage's words sent chills down Tsunade's spine, but she dared not let it show, "There has been no improvement, Kazekage-sama. Naruto is--"

"Do not DARE say it, Hokage-sama."

Again, Tsunade felt the urge to break in a crate of Sake, "Look, Gaara, I loved the brat as much as you and Sasuke do, but, there hasn't been any change, at all. He's in misery like this, he wouldn't want to live like that."

"If you loved him as much as you say you do, _Hokage-sama_," Gaara hissed, the title coming out a violent hiss, "you too would see that he responds when we are near him."

Tsunade gave a heavy sigh, and replied, "Alright, Gaara. We'll visit him, one final time. If he reacts, I'll veto the council's decision to--"

The red-heads glare at even the slight mention of the council's idea made her silence herself, "Tomorrow, noon. Good day, Hokage-sama."

She couldn't say she wasn't happy to see the murderous red-head gone. Sighing, Tsunade broke open a new bottle of sake to prepare herself for the next day.

_here comes the rain again  
falling from the stars  
drenched in my pain again  
becoming who we are_

as my memory rests  
but never forgets what I lost  
wake me up when september ends

Sasuke looked up at the rain and frowned. It seemed like it never stops raining, these days. Sighing, he turned to look back at Gaara and the Hokage who was trying to get some response out of the immobile, silent blonde.

None came.

"Do you see now? This is a difficult time for all of us, Naruto was dear to so many… but… this is in his best interest… to ease his suffering… there's no use keeping the body alive if he isn't… here."

"Hokage-sama, he IS still here!" Sasuke snapped.

Gaara cast uncertain eyes at the blond, willing him to do something… His eyes slowly widened, and he gasped.

Confused, Tsunade turned to see a pair of blue eyes staring at her, head shaking slightly, lips moving, yet no words came out.

Eyes widening, she could make out two of the words the blonde tried to utter.

'_Believe it!'_

'_I won't let my dream die!'_

'_I will become Hokage someday!'_

'_I'll protect everyone!'_

"Alright," Tsunade whispered, shakily, as the blonde's chin fell back against his chest, worn from the effort, "I'll veto the council."

_summer has come and passed  
the innocent can never last  
wake me up when september ends_

ring out the bells again  
like we did when spring began  
wake me up when september ends

Sakura clapped encouragingly as Naruto walked, still held up by Sasuke and Gaara, towards her, "That's it, Naruto! You can do it!"

Naruto gave her a shaky smile as he struggled to keep up with the other two on his sides, but didn't let his discomfort show. It was his first time out of that damned hospital in over a year--there was no way he was gonna go back inside. Legs not working right be damned!

"YES! LET THE FIRE OF YOUTH BURNIN IN YOU, NARUTO-SAN! HIS BRAVERY IS SO ADMIRABLE! IT BRINGS ME TO TEARS!" Lee cried, giving Naruto two thumbs up and a sparkly smile, which Naruto returned (less the sparkles of course).

The other rookie ninjas all watched, amazed, as Sasuke and Gaara let him go to take his first shaky steps on his own. Everyone held their breath as Naruto wobbled his way to Sakura, who held her arms open, ready to catch the blonde should he fall. When he finally made it the two yards to her, he gripped her hands and smiled triumphantly.

The others cheered.

_here comes the rain again  
falling from the stars  
drenched in my pain again  
becoming who we are_

as my memory rests  
but never forgets what I lost  
wake me up when september ends

"He should be dead," Tsunade whispered as she watched the scene between the young Chuunin.

"Well, he IS his son after all," Jiraiya grinned, walking away from Tsunade and Kakashi towards the celebrating teens, yelling something about free ramen for Naruto's success.

"I wish I knew what was going on…" Tsunade whispered, sadly.

Kakashi could only nod as he watched them all walk away, for even his Sharingon eye (a/n: Dunnow if I spelt that right) could not see how Naruto broke the seal.

_Summer has come and passed  
The innocent can never last  
wake me up when september ends_

like my father's come to pass  
twenty years has gone so fast  
wake me up when september ends  
wake me up when september ends  
wake me up when september ends

"How did you do it, Naruto?"

Said boy looked up from his ramen, a week later, still shaky but getting stronger day by day, to look into the black eyes of one of his saviors, "Do what?"

"How did you break the seal, dobe."

Gaara glared at the Uchiha for the insult to Naruto, but said nothing.

Naruto looked at them for a minute, and then down at his bowl and grinned weakly, "I didn't…"

Both of the boys frowned.

"Kyuubi did."

Eyes widened.

Silence.

"_WHAT?"_

Looking up at he sky, Naruto grinned, "Yup. Kyuubi told me how to use his chakra to leech into yours and drain the seal off. He said it was possible that his own charka could overcome and block out the weaker energy of the seal…" he scratched his head at that, grinning, "or something like that… I didn't quite understand it at the time!"

The two boys gave him the typical, '_what are you, stupid?_' look before he continued, "And… well, apparently the seal was stronger than we thought, and the chakra it took to overpower the seal was so much that it took all of his chakra to do it… but… I guess it turned out that since Sasuke-teme here didn't fight the curse for so long, it was too strong to actually overpower…" Sasuke had the decency to look ashamed, "and since he couldn't get rid of it… he merged with it, or something… but since all of his energy was used merging, to at least overpower the negative influence (as he called it anyway--he used such weird… weird words!)…" Naruto paused for a moment to cough weakly, shoulders shaking, not used to talking this much, "eh-hem… I guess that he needed to use my chakra to do the actual demon binding… thing. Not to sure on that one, I was kinda unconscious at the time. But, anyway, when I woke up I couldn't move at all. All my strength was gone… I could hear the Kyuubi in my head telling me it would take, yuh know, a while to get back to normal and stuff…" he paused, shrugging.

Gaara slowly nodded, "So the black markings are an after effect of the demon chakra merging with your human chakra during Kyuubi's binding jutsu? Does this mean that the Kyuubi's powers are increased due to this 'binding?'"

Naruto gave him a black, tired, confused look and blurted out, "What?"

Sasuke shook his head and patted his best friends head and smirked, "Just eat your ramen, idiot, we need to get you back so you can rest."

---

The end. nn


End file.
